Sun Mar 16 13:49:02 UTC 2025: **Congress and DMK Differ on Education Policy and Delimitation, Says Party Whip**
**New Delhi, March 16, 2025** – Tensions between the Congress party and its ally, the DMK, over key policy issues have come to light following an interview with Congress Lok Sabha Whip Manickam Tagore. The interview, published in *The Hindu*, reveals differing stances on the National Education Policy (NEP) and the upcoming delimitation exercise.
Tagore criticized the NEP as discriminatory, exclusionary, and an attempt to centralize and privatize education, characterizing it as an “RSS Education Policy.” He stated that the Congress opposes the government’s forceful implementation of the policy, citing the withholding of ₹2,152 crore in PM-Shri funds owed to Tamil Nadu as an example of coercive tactics. While acknowledging the DMK’s historical anti-Hindi stance and Tamil Nadu’s opposition to language imposition, Tagore emphasized that the Congress’s position differs, advocating for all Indian languages while opposing the imposition of any single language. He clarified that the Congress is not inherently anti-Hindi.
Regarding delimitation, Tagore highlighted the lack of transparency and consultation by the government. He expressed concerns, shared by many leaders, that the government’s formula could disproportionately affect some states’ representation. While acknowledging potential differing perspectives within the Congress party, he indicated that the party will engage in internal discussions before formulating its official position.
The interview also touched on the INDIA bloc, a coalition of opposition parties. Tagore explained that while the bloc serves as a platform for coordination during elections, individual parties maintain autonomy on specific policy matters, collaborating only when a common issue arises, such as voter list discrepancies.
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